{"id":240282,"date":"2025-05-13T19:37:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T19:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/alabama\/alabamians-urge-veto-of-hb445-warning-of-job-losses-and-hemp-industry-collapse\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T19:37:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T19:37:01","slug":"alabamians-urge-veto-of-hb445-warning-of-job-losses-and-hemp-industry-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=240282","title":{"rendered":"Alabamians urge veto of HB445, warning of job losses and hemp industry collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"


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More than 800 Alabamians have signed a petition on Change.org<\/a> urging Gov. Kay Ivey to veto House Bill 445, legislation that would severely restrict access to THC-A and other hemp-derived products across the state. Opponents say the bill, rushed through the legislature in a matter of hours, is deeply flawed and could devastate small businesses, send customers to illegal markets, and cut off access to alternative healthcare options.<\/p>\n

Critics argue that the legislation amounts to government overreach, unfairly punishing legitimate businesses and individuals who rely on these products for medical relief. Josh, a 37-year-old veteran living with permanent disabilities and PTSD, shared on the petition that holistic treatments including THC-A have significantly improved his quality of life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pills take a toll on my body\u2026 but treating myself holistically drastically improved my quality of life,\u201d he wrote. \u201cIf this bill passes, that won\u2019t likely be the outcome for me and however long I have left to live.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill bans smokable hemp, limits THC in edibles to 10mg per serving, prohibits online sales and delivery, and imposes a 10 percent excise tax and $1,000 licensing fee for retailers. Penalties for non-compliance could include up to 10 years in prison. Joe Resha, CEO of Avondale Apothecary in Birmingham, told WVTM 13<\/em> the bill \u201cwill destroy the hemp industry here in Alabama,\u201d saying that \u201ceverything will have to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

He warned the new restrictions would make it nearly impossible for his business to survive.<\/p>\n

Magic City Organics, another Birmingham-based dispensary, may be forced to leave the state. Owner Ashley Otwell told WBRC<\/em> the bill \u201ccould shut our store down,\u201d adding, \u201cWe are all real people. We are not criminals. We abide by all the laws, and we\u2019ve been self-regulating for seven years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayor Randall Woodfin criticized the bill as a return to \u201can era of cannabis criminalization, overregulation, and lost opportunity,\u201d telling WVTM 13<\/em> that HB445 \u201clocks out entrepreneurs, particularly Black and brown business owners who are often first to be policed and last to get licensed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Meanwhile, Abby Rice, who uses hemp-derived products to treat rheumatoid arthritis and anxiety, said in an interview with FOX10 that the plant \u201chas really helped me just be able to get on it day-to-day without depending on something that could potentially hurt me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Small business owners from across the state have echoed these concerns. Matt, who opened Route 420 Dispensary in Mobile last year, said the bill would shut down his business and cut off customers from alternatives to prescription medication.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt threatens not just businesses like mine, but the entire supply chain\u2014brands, workers, and especially the customers,\u201d he wrote in the petition. Deb, a 61-year-old disabled business owner in Spanish Fort, wrote that her dispensary is her only source of income. \u201cThis bill jeopardizes my ability to support myself and my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Alabama Policy Institute has also urged Ivey to veto or amend the bill, noting in a statement to Alabama Daily News<\/em> that it may align the state\u2019s regulatory framework more closely with permissive markets like Colorado. They argue the bill is both overly broad and insufficiently targeted, leaving room for confusion and unintended consequences.<\/p>\n

Critics of the process say the bill was pushed through the legislature with little transparency or input from industry stakeholders or the public. The legislation passed both chambers on the same day with multiple changes added in the Senate, including adjustments to THC limits and licensing requirements. Molly Cole of the Alabama Hemp and Vape Association told the Alabama Reflector<\/em> that the bill \u201ccreates more problems than it solves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many fear that the bill, if enacted, will not only shutter legitimate businesses but also drive consumers toward illegal or out-of-state suppliers. \u201cThis is their way of killing it totally,\u201d one Reddit user posted, noting that the combination of bans, in-state-only sourcing and packaging rules will make compliance so costly that most retailers will be forced to close.<\/p>\n

As of Monday, Ivey has not indicated whether she will sign or veto the bill. Her office told Alabama Daily News that she is still reviewing the legislation. If no action is taken by the May 13 deadline, HB445 will become law without her signature.<\/p>\n

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The petition \u2014 available at Change.org\/HB445 \u2014 continues to gain traction as more Alabamians voice concerns about the health, economic and legal consequences of the bill. Advocates say there is still time for the governor to intervene and prevent what they see as an economic and regulatory disaster. With livelihoods, patient access and small businesses at stake, the decision now rests with the governor\u2019s pen \u2014 or her silence.<\/p>\n

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More than 800 Alabamians have signed a petition on Change.org urging Gov. Kay Ivey to veto House Bill 445, legislation that would severely restrict access to THC-A and other hemp-derived products across the state. Opponents say the bill, rushed through the legislature in a matter of hours, is deeply flawed and could devastate small businesses, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":240283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11763],"tags":[47815,20585,32797,88417,27250,11315,3690,11174,17929,29083,16615,68052,18529],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-240282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alabama","tag-alabamians","tag-collapse","tag-gov-kay-ivey","tag-hb445","tag-hemp","tag-industry","tag-job","tag-losses","tag-small-business","tag-thc","tag-urge","tag-veto","tag-warning"],"yoast_head":"\nAlabamians urge veto of HB445, warning of job losses and hemp industry collapse - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=240282\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alabamians urge veto of HB445, warning of job losses and hemp industry collapse - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"More than 800 Alabamians have signed a petition on Change.org urging Gov. 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